Unsanctioned racing is bona-fide competition in a fresh environment. Any track fan would appreciate the epic duels of last summer’s Take The Bridge men’s heats. Fields grew so deep that it took a five minute pace, dodging tourists, to nab seventh place on the Brooklyn Bridge.
But you have not seen the lineup for our 2017 Summer Series opener. Can you say 5K PRs in the 15s or even the 14s? A Kona qualifier and OSR champion? And the newly-crowned KOM of a 4000-runner Strava segment?
We love to post previews of new runners to watch at Take The Bridge. The fun part is imagining how their amazing chops - on road, track and X-C - translate to our short, open course. Want to get to know some of our top returnees? Check out past profiles on Sean Mahon, Garen Riedel and Matt Salminen. Like our newcomers, they embrace our culture of leaving it all on the bridge. That means run hard, don’t be an asshole, and chase it in a beer.
COLIN OGILVIE
CREW/CLUB | Front Runners New York
WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM | A guy with X-C strength and track speed who is in awesome form this year. What’s not to like?
RUNNING BACKGROUND | Colin had no choice but to get hooked early (he’s from a running family). After high school track and X-C in Mass, he ran year-around for the Bowdoin Bears. Colin’s cross country chops should be a big plus on our course: call it urban X-C. In two years on Front Runners, he’s led the team to victory at Pride Run, as well as first place overall at Cape Cod Ragnar. And he’s PR’d at the half and 10K this year.
WHAT DREW HIM TO SIGN UP | In Colin’s words, nothing is better than running a crazy race and then drinking a couple of beers after while getting to know more runners in the NYC running community. We agree.
MILE PR | 4:24 (on track); 4:34 (on road)
5K PR | 15:25 (track); 16:09 (road)
WHEN HE’S NOT RUNNING | Fourth-year med student
Photo by John Tran
Photo by Bob Smyth
MAC O’DONNELL
CREW/CLUB | Dashing Whippets
WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM | Speed never dies. Mac has stupid-fast collegiate PRs from a few years back, and now runs “socially”. We all wish our socially meant a sub-33 at Healthy Kidney this year. We’re excited to see what he’s got in a new environment.
RUNNING BACKGROUND | We love a guy who thanks his high school track coach (seriously; mine spoke at our wedding). As Mac puts it, he was fortunate enough to join an amazing program (in Oak Ridge, Tennessee) coached by Allen Etheridge before his four year career at Texas A&M.
WHAT DREW HIM TO SIGN UP | TTB’s departure from regular running events
MILE PR | 4:03 (indoors)
5K PR | 14:03
WHEN HE’S NOT RUNNING | Mac is a fashion designer;
ERIK REITINGER
CREW/CLUB | OSR
WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM | Erik is an incredible athlete who has hit an elite level in multiple sports. He’s fairly new to short distances, and tough as hell.
RUNNING BACKGROUND | Erik’s stellar resume includes elite rower, sub-10 Ironman and back-to-back OSR 30K top placement. He started to run while training for college and club crew, in NJ and in Philly. That journey led him to top levels at the triathlon, including Kona. He’s focused on running for the past five years, including ultras and a 2:44 NJ marathon a few months ago. But in our eyes, not much tops his gutsy win in brutal conditions at the OSR 30K last winter.
WHAT DREW HIM TO SIGN UP | In Erik’s own words.:
TTB is an event that's redefining what it means to be a runner, a competitor, and even a spectator. It's an integral part of what we talk about when we talk about the new running culture.
MILE PR | 6:49 from Presidential Challenge, 1996. Haha, I remember doing one of those.
5K PR | 16:35 (first ever 5K, a few weeks ago)
WHEN HE’S NOT RUNNING | Teaches algebra in Brooklyn, hangs out with fellow math teacher girlfriend.
Photo by Alice Ng
Photo at Red Hook Crit 5K
GREG LARAIA
CREW/CLUB | Custom Performance + Gotham City Runners
WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM | Mixing it up at the top of NYC racing scene this year. Greg is one of the favorites to win.
RUNNING BACKGROUND | Getting back into serious racing this year after a three-year hiatus. He recently ran 31:34 for 7th at Queens 10K, and 15:54 for 12th at the Red Hook Crit. And he starred on the Other Guys - the stellar, 10-person, underdog crew that joined Lost Boys in crushing #breaking2nyc marathon relay last month.
WHAT DREW HIM TO SIGN UP | Greg has been watching unsanctioned races for a few years, but says he never felt the strong urge to compete until now.
MILE PR | 4:20ish
5K PR | 15-flat
WHEN HE’S NOT RUNNING | #neverNotRunning. But also works as an athletic trainer and running consultant at Custom Performance. Darcy can vouch, Greg gives a brutal trigger point massage.
ADAM SALOOM
CREW/CLUB | CUSTOM PERFORMANCE
WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM | Greg says Adam can beat him. ‘Nuff said.
RUNNING BACKGROUND | 4x NCAA preliminary round qualifier at Stephen F. Austin State University (Axe 'me Jacks!). Currently competes for Skechers Performance.
WHAT DREW HIM TO SIGN UP | Why not let your first time on the Manhattan Bridge be in a race?
MILE PR | 1500 in 3:52
5K PR | 14:41
WHEN HE’S NOT RUNNING | Studies PT, seeks best pizza spots in NYC. Maybe he’ll run straight to the Grimaldi’s line.
LOGAN YU
CREW/CLUB | North Brooklyn Runners
WHY WE ARE WATCHING HIM | Logan impressed us with his win in our Strava challenge, over a well-trafficked segment that features dozens of past TTB performances. He’s shown he excels on road, track or X-C, and he can lead or kick. So however this race plays out, we bet Logan will be in the thick of it.
RUNNING BACKGROUND | Logan is a workhorse for NBR, placing highly in years of club points races, from the Fifth Avenue Mile to the NYC Marathon. He has 145 races in his NYRR history! He killed it in the Strava mile this June, with a big sprint finish down the stretch.
WHAT DREW HIM TO SIGN UP | Heard great things, excited to meet the other runners and experience the race.
MILE PR | 4:22
5K PR | 16:28
HOMETOWN | East Brunswick, New Jersey
WHEN HE’S NOT RUNNING | Loves baseball. Also wrote one of my favorite web apps, http://www.rungraphs.com/